Steve Kornacki to host MSNBC’s ‘Up’

msnbc has named Steve Kornacki the new host of its weekend morning show Up.

Kornacki, previously a co-host of msnbc’s The Cycle, replaces Chris Hayes who had hosted the show since 2011. Hayes will move into msnbc’s weekday 8 pm slot beginning April 1, while Ed Schultz begins a new weekend evening program, the company announced last week in a series of programming changes.

“I give so much credit to the Up team who created appointment viewing on the weekends for us and some of the smartest conversations on television,” Phil Griffin, president of msnbc, said in a statement. “Steve has a great political mind and his ability to connect with viewers made him a natural fit to continue driving that dialogue.”

Kornacki is also a senior political writer for Salon.com and has written for the New York Observer, Roll Call, and the New York Times, among other publications.

“I want to thank Chris Hayes and his team for creating a totally original and incredibly smart model for political television,” Kornacki said. “It’s a real honor and a real challenge to take his seat, and I’m excited by the chance to foster the same kind of lively and diverse conversations.”